New American Standard Bible 1995

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Ezekiel

21

:

21

"For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the household idols, he looks at the liver.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
"For the king king Noun H4428 מֶלֶךְ־ me·lech-
of Babylon an E. Mediterranean empire and its capital city Noun H894 בָּבֶ֜ל ba·vel
Analysis:
Read more about: Babylon
stands to take one's stand, stand Verb H5975 עָמַ֨ד a·mad
at the parting a mother Noun H517 אֵ֣ם em
of the way, way, road, distance, journey, manner Noun H1870 הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ had·de·rech
at the head head Noun H7218 בְּרֹ֛אשׁ be·rosh
of the two two (a card. number) Noun H8147 שְׁנֵ֥י she·nei
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

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ways, way, road, distance, journey, manner Noun H1870 הַדְּרָכִ֖ים had·de·ra·chim
to use to practice divination Verb H7080 לִקְסָם־ lik·sam-
divination; divination Noun H7081 קָ֑סֶם ka·sem;
he shakes to be slight, swift or trifling Verb H7043 קִלְקַ֤ל kil·kal
the arrows, arrow Noun H2671 בַּֽחִצִּים֙ ba·chi·tzim
he consults to ask, inquire Verb H7592 שָׁאַ֣ל sha·'al
the household idols, (a kind of idol) perhaps household idol Noun H8655 בַּתְּרָפִ֔ים bat·te·ra·fim,
he looks to see Verb H7200 רָאָ֖ה ra·'ah
at the liver. liver Noun H3516 בַּכָּבֵֽד׃ bak·ka·ved.

Locations

Babylon

BABEL, BABYLON (1)ba'-bel, bab'-i-lon (Topographical): Babylon was the Greek name of the city written in the cuneiform script of the Babylonians, bab-ili, which means in Semitic, "the gate of god." The Hebrews called the country, as well as the city, Babhel. This name they considered came from the' root, balal, "to confound" (Genesis 11:9). The name in Sumer... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 "For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the household idols, he looks at the liver.
King James Bible "For For the king of Babylon stands stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; divination: he shakes the arrows, made his arrows bright, he consults the household idols, consulted with images, he looks at looked in the liver.
Hebrew Greek English "For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the household idols, he looks at the liver.